Mom runs inside burning home to rescue kids; all 3 die

May 15, 2019 at 7:05 am Updated May 15, 2019 at 7:45 am

The scene of a fatal apartment fire at the Captiva Club apartments in Town ‘n Country early Wednesday morning, May 15, 2019 in Tampa, Fla. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue crews and sheriff’s deputies responded to a call at 3:23 a.m. about a fire at the Captiva Club Apartments. They arrived within minutes to find flames penetrating the roof of Building 3 and a wall collapsed, according to a news release from Hillsborough Fire Rescue. (Octavio Jones/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say a Florida woman ran back into her burning apartment after realizing her two children hadn’t made it out. All three died in the fire.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said during a Wednesday morning news conference that the woman and another adult living in the apartment made it safely outside when she noticed the children, ages 5 and 10, didn’t make it out.

The sheriff said running back to save the children was a great “action of love” displayed by the mother.

When firefighters arrived, flames were already penetrating the roof, which later collapsed.

The names of the victims weren’t immediately released.

Officials say at least 12 residents were displaced by the fire, which damaged eight apartments.

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